England's hopes of winning the World Cup in 1950 receded following a disastrous 1-0 defeat to the United States in a group game. Joe Gaetjens (right) scored the winning goal for the Americans. Photograph:Popperfoto/Getty

When Brazil last hosted the World Cup in 1950, an England side brimming with world-class talent (such as Stanley Matthews, Tom Finney and Jackie Milburn) were tipped to bring home the Jules Rimet Trophy, proving that a European side could go to South America and win football's most prestigious prize.

The excitement around the England team only intensified when the Brazilian press dubbed them the "Kings of Football", in part because of their impressive record of having won 23 out of 30 games since the second world war.

Manchester Guardian, 24 May 1950

If England were to win the World Cup they had to prove that their brand of tactical football could triumph over the creativity of the South American teams, with their close ball control and delicate footwork. What didn't seem to be in doubt was that although England were appearing in their first World Cup they were expected to ease past Spain, Chile and the United States in their first round of group matches.

When the tournament began, England played their opening fixture against Chile in the newly built Maracanã stadium. Despite a shaky start, a goal either side of half time from Mortensen and Mannion were enough to secure a win.

The outcome of the next game, however, proved to be nothing short of a catastrophe for English football. Playing against a US team made up of amateurs, England managed to lose 1-0, a result that would haunt the national side for years to come.

Shocked by the performance, the report that appeared in the Manchester Guardian (below) didn't pull any punches: "probably the worst ever display by an England side".

Football fans in the UK refused to believe the result, many convinced that there had been a misprint in their newspapers. The confusion gave way to anger on learning that the England selectors, expecting an easy win against such lowly opposition, had left out Stanley Matthews, England's talisman and probably the best player in the world at the time.

With only one team from the pool progressing to the next phase of the competition, England didn't have time to dwell on the US result. Besides, a win against Spain in their final game meant they could still progress. Spain's task was easier: having won both their games they just needed to avoid losing to go through.

The tense match was played in the Maracanã on a still, cool day in front a large home crowd. When the game kicked off, Spain's "rough and often dubious tactics", according to the match report) didn't endear them to the spectators. But when England's attackers did shake off the close attention of their markers they were wasteful, Tom Finney and Jackie Milburn spurning great chances in front of Spain's goal.

When the breakthrough finally arrived it went undeservedly to Spain, Zarra scoring from close, in a rare Spanish attack. As hard as England toiled, there wasn't to be a dramatic turnaround. England lost the game 1-0 and exited the tournament.

With nothing to play for, the team took an early flight home and the trophy remained in South America. Even before their plane had landed in the UK, the men in charge of the national team, knocked by the criticism of England's failure, were hatching plans to overhaul the English game. One senior figure, Mr A.Drewry, made his thoughts clear in this story about the declining standard of sport in the UK.

Manchester Guardian, 19 August 1950. Click on image to read in full.

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